by Masuo Nezu

These are personal reminiscences about the late founder Rev. Nikkyo Niwano from his former chief secretary, Masuo Nezu, now in retirement. During his years of service, the writer accompanied Rev. Niwano on dissemination tours, interreligious cooperation activities, and peace promotion work, both in Japan and overseas. This series recalls not only heartwarming episodes from the founder's everyday life, but also the spiritual insights derived from his words and deeds.

17

The Messages of the Buddha and God Are One--
Meetings with Pope John Paul II

In February 1979, Founder Niwano met His Holiness Pope John Paul II for the first time. After attending the International Executive Committee meeting of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP) in Princeton, New Jersey, Rev. Niwano flew to Rome and visited the pope in the Vatican.

The temperature in Princeton was 20 degrees Celsius below zero (4 degrees Fahrenheit below zero). On the Hudson River, big blocks of floating ice could be seen. In Rome, by contrast, it was very warm. And the welcome of Pope John Paul II was even warmer than the temperature. Putting both of his hands into those of Rev. Niwano, the pope said, "I know that Buddhism is a religion of deep spirituality." Rev. Niwano responded with a smile, saying, "I think the messages of the Buddha and God are one."

On November 3, 1994, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, as an honorary president of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP), delivered the opening address of the Sixth Assembly of the WCRP at the Synod Hall of the Vatican in the presence of Pope John Paul II.

When the conversation turned to the WCRP, the pope asked Rev. Niwano where and when the next World Assembly was to be held. When asked if he would attend, Pope John Paul II replied only, "I will see."

When the founder was leaving, he later recalled, the pope said with a warm look: "I live in Rome. Rome is my home. Whenever you come to Rome, please do visit me."

However, the second opportunity for a meeting was not in Rome. In 1981 the pope visited Japan for the first such papal visit in the history of the Roman Catholic church. On February 24, Rev. Niwano attended a meeting with representatives of non-Christian religions held at the Apostolic Nunciature in Tokyo.

Through an exchange of talks between the pope and Japanese religious leaders, the founder came to feel that ties of the Vatican with other faiths on interreligious cooperation were becoming stronger. At the time he said, "From the Vatican, a state which has no military forces, to Japan, which has a war-renouncing constitution and wishes to be a nation of peace, the pope came as an apostle of peace. The importance of this visit is very great. All religious people should strengthen their efforts at interreligious cooperation and make greater efforts for peace in the world."